The Zoo in Toledo in Lucas County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Stop the Spot!
Installed on this tree is a trap designed to catch young spotted lanternfly.
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 13, 2024
1. Stop the Spot! Marker
Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect that has been present in the United States since 2014. Ohio's first case of SLF was reported in 2020, and in 2023, Toledo Zoo's Horticulture and Wild Toledo staff positively identified several spotted lanternfly populations on and around zoo grounds. Lucas county is one of a handful of Ohio counties currently designated as an SLF quarantine zone by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Native to Asia, the primary host plant of SLF is the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), another established invasive species, but they are by no means picky eaters. They have been documented on over 100 species of plant from over 30 distinct plant families!
Contrary to its name, spotted lanternfly can only fly for very short distances. These traps work by creating a funnel that leads SLF nymphs and adults into the collection bag as they climb toward the tree's canopy. However, transportation by human activity has proven to be their best mode of transportation. SLF like to hitchhike on things like trains, cars and firewood.
Erected by The Toledo Zoo.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 2014.
Location. 41° 37.041′
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Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Native Plants (a few steps from this marker); Ziems Conservatory (within shouting distance of this marker); Chimney Swifts (within shouting distance of this marker); The Toledo Zoo / The New Deal in Toledo (within shouting distance of this marker); Emerson (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); African Penguin Conservation (about 400 feet away); The Original Penguin (about 400 feet away); Prairie In Progress (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Toledo.
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 13, 2024
2. Stop the Spot! Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 16, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
